Humidifier



Aug. 14, 1934. '11 E, MCGRAH. 1,969,986

HUMIDIFIER v Filed July 2. 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l Aug 14, 1934. T. E. MCGRAIL 1,969,986

HUMIDIFIER Filed July 2. 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 14, 934. T. E. MCGRAIL ,969,986

HUMIDIFIER Filed July 2. 1952 3 sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug. 14, 1934 PATENT OFFICE HUMIDIFIER Thomas Ernest McGrail, Montreal,

Quebec,

Canada, assigner to Crane Limited, Montreal,

Canada Application `luly 2, 1982, Serial No. 620,664

Claims.

The invention relates to a humidifier, as described in the present specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings that form part of the same.

The invention consists essentially in the retention of falling water in the path of rising dry air as pointed out in the claims for novelty following a description in detail of the preferred means of carrying out the objects of the invention.

The objects of the invention are to: humidity the air in apartments, halls and other places, in fact any interior where the heat from furnaces or other heaters dries up the air of the room, which becomes a serious menace to the furniture, plasters and the construction work of the building, besides to the occupants, for it has been clearly proved that the children and younger people suffer even to a greater extent than their elders from confinement in dwellings, schools and public buildings, unless the air has been properly laden with moisture, such as would naturally occur in the open seasons, when the outdoor air mixes freely with the air of the interiors; to regulate the humidity of the atmosphere in the interior air heated and maintain the atmosphere in a sanitary condition through the adoption of cleanly methods and accessibility in order to insure the flushing of all parts for the riddance of dust, bacteria and various accumulations that will breed unhealthy things and offensive odors; and generally to provide an eicient and inexpensive means of humidifying interiors of dwellings and other structures.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a channelled bowl in a suitable enclosure containing a form of mechanism for carrying out the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view on the line 2 2 in Figure 1, through the complete machine.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 3 3 in Figure 1 through the complete machine.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 4 4 in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a slightly ymodified form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 6 6 in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view on the line 7 7 in Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view showing the addition of absorbent material for supplementing the moisture holding devices in the passage of the air to be laden.

Figure 9 is an elevational view of a unit including a heat radiating member and a humidifying device.

Figure 10 is an end elevational view of the unit illustrated in Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a front elevational view of a humidifying device in tiers combined with a radiator.

Figure 12 is an end elevational view of the multpile humidifier.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the various gures.

Referring to the drawings, the bowl of the humidier is indicated by the numeral 15 and the Wall of this bowl is formed in the endless channels 16. The shape of the bowl is preferably an oval and the wail slopes down to the bottom 17, through which the drain 18 removes the excess water and through which the central opening 19 admits the air into the bowl, this air opening being surrounded by the flange 20 forming a guard wall against the admission of Water into the air opening. l

The steam or hot air jacket 21 is enclosed by the wall 22 spaced from the bowl and preferably parallel with bottom and sides, this packet 21 having the steam or hot air ports 23 and 24 connected by the pipes 25 and 26 to the heating plant.

The bowl is set in a small cabinet 27, preferably supported from the floor 28 by the feet 29 and at its upper end 30 iiush with the top of the bowl.

The baie plate 31 is slightly elevated by the bracket 32 above the bottom 17 and is downwardly turned at the edge 33 into proximity with the channels 16 so that the air entering through the air opening 19 bridged across the jacket 21 by the annular fiange 34 is spread by the baffle 31 so that it will be directed into contact with the water and pick up the moisture with it as it rises.

The annular flange 35 from the wall 22 bridges the distance across the jacket to the drain 18.

The fan or blower casing 36 containing a suitable fan device mounted on the shaft 37 delivers the air into the opening 19 and therethrough, and this blower is preferably secured to the flange 34 and supported by a bracket 38.

The shaft 37 is coupled to an electric motor 39 on the one side and to a water pump 40 on the other side, the casing of this water pump being connected by the pipe 41 to a suitable water connection leading to the source of supply.

The delivery of the pump is connected to the feed pipe 42 which discharges at 43 in the uppermost channel, this discharge being regulated by a valve 44.

The posts 45 add strength to the support of the bowl 15, these supports rising from the floor 28 and being secured in the wall 22.

In Figures 5 to 12 inclusive, the upper channels terminate at 46 at each end to form the bosses 47 which are pierced and tapped for the plugs 48 or connection pipes 48 as shown in Figures 9, 10 and 11. f

The overflow 50 and air inlet 51 remain the same, but the steam or hot water ports 52 are brought in a little, otherwise there is no difference in their use.

The air inlet 51 is either connected to a fan or is supported over the radiator 53 by the pipes 54 connected to the ports 572, and while the jacket 55 continues as the heater for the water overflowing in the channels, the convection currents from the radiator draw the air in through the air inlet to pick up the moisture as it continues over the trickling or dribbling water overflowing from channel to channel.

The bowls may be in multiple, by making use of the connections 49 and naturally the radiator sections 56 may be in multiple, as there is a great advantage in the warm air flowing up through the inlets of the bowls and the natural draft will insure a steady feed, while the steam heat in the Various jackets will create a high temperature frequently resulting in steam from the channels or grooves, in fact the water in the bowls can be made so hot as to insure vapor and thereby more easily lade the air with moisture.

In the first form of the invention described the grating 57 covers the cabinet and-similarly may cover the bowl always and be shaped according to the construction of the bowl. l

In another form of the invention the absorbent material 58 is preferably made of a composition of matter approximating soapstone.

These pieces 58 of absorbent material are secured to supports' 59 of the same material, these supports standing on the bottom and in one of the channels intermediate of the height of the bowl.

The absorbent material may be in sections or it -may be in dish shape, and therefore the supports will rapidly soak up the water from the bowl and prove an obstruction to the upwardly flowing air so that the air is directed therealong over the channels and around the upper end ofthe absorbent, which insures a well laden air, both from the channels of moisture around and from the absorbent itself.

In the operation of theinventicn, the cabinet form includes all the special machinery required to keep the device alive, in so far asair feed and water feed are concerned. The steam heat in the jacket maintains the shell of the bowl quite hot and thewater feed is pumped to the upper channel where it can be regulated or it can be regulated below according to surrounding conditions. v The water fed into the upper channel simply dribbles over. Of course the upper portion of the bowl is not quite so hot, though it is also fairly hot, but as the water dribbles from channel to channel it usually becomes vaporized and the air fed in through the inlet, in fact pumped in by the fan is deected on to the lower channels, which are usually quite hotI and in most cases sufficiently so to vaporize the water.

This laden air flows upwardly collecting moisture as it rises and out through the grating covering in the cabinet, this grating being indicated by the numeral 57. Y

There is no automatic radiator illustrated, but it will be fully understood that the installation of a regulator to determine the humidity of the atmosphere of the room and to regulate the feed of water and feed of steam is merely a matter of mechanical skill, for such devices may be purchased on the open market and adapted to this invention on substantially the same plan as the thermostat used in connection with the automatic control of heat in apartments.

The absorbent material, like soapstone is a Valuable adjunct to this invention, for it not only retains the air for a longer period of time, over the channels, but actually provides moisture above the inflowing air, thus the air picks up quite a lot more moisture. The overflow of water is through a drain and usually to the waste though it may be returned to a boiler or other receptacle.

In regard to the supply of water in Figures 1 to 4 the tank 59 is included in the cabinet under the water fall member and this tank is connected to the water main of the dwelling, and may have an automatic valve cut off or simply a manually operated valve not here shown.

In Figure 5 the connection will perhaps be direct to the regular water supply and be regulated by valve cock 61 shown in the flange.

What I claim is:-

l. A humidifier comprising a jacketed bowl grooved for retarding the passage of water and having a drain opening, an air feed opening and 105 a passage wall from a source of air extending through theV jacket and upwardly above the bottom, a deiector forming a shade over said air feed, and means for feeding water to an upper groove.

2. A' humidifier comprising a jacketed bowl grooved forl retarding the passage of water and having a drain opening, an air feed opening and a passage wall from a source of air extending through the jacket and upwardly above the bottom, a deflector of absorbent material forming an elevated moisture retainer over the grooves, and means for feeding water to the upper grooves.

3. A humidifier comprising a jacketed bowl 12g. grooved for retarding the passage of water and having adrain opening, and an upstanding flange surrounding anl air opening and extending to the jacket, an air feed connected to said flange, a water feed projected to the upper grooves, means for deecting the air into contact with the falling water and means for heating said water jacket and bowl.

4. In a humidifier, a cabinet supported above a flooring and containing a grate top and a downwardly inclined trickling'surface forming a water flow in the direction opposite to and under a blanketing air stream, an air pump supplying the air, means for elevating the water to the top of said trickling surface and means for 0perating said air and water feed.

5. In` a humidifier, Va cabinet open at the bottom and supported on and above the floor, a jacketed bowl forming a water trickling surface, a grate cover closing in the bowl, a deector within the bowl and supported above the bottom thereof, a fan supplying the air through a connection reaching through the bowl bottom towards said deiiector, a water pump forcing water up to the upper end of said trickling surface, a steam connection to said jacket and a motor operating said fan and said pump.

THOMAS ERNEST MCGRAIL. 

